Maya Angelou was born under the name Marguerita Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri on April 4, 1928. She was raised mostly by her grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. Her childhood experiences, which included rape at eight years old and a period of muteness, inspired her famous work, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", which was written in 1970. She is best known for her autobiographical books: All ... Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986), The Heart of a Woman (1981), Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas (1976), Gather Together in My Name (1974), and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1...

• Word Count: 548
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate